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Saturday, September 21, 2013

How many times have you had an idea or suggestion for a solution about something? About anything? Now, how many times have you acted, or convinced someone else to act, on your ideas? I’ll bet the ratio of acting on your ideas compared to having them is small. It is for most of us. There are lots of books, e-books, seminars and courses on creativity and how to get ideas. Yet once you have them, what do you do with them? How do you organize your thoughts and make sense of them? How do you sift through the “wild ideas” to determine which ones to pursue? How do you communicate your ideas to others and convince them to act? How do you determine your own actions? Do you ever have an idea and prejudge it out of existence with, “Oh, it’s too silly” or “off the wall”?

I recently hired a new executive assistant and one thing came through loud and clear in her interviews – one of our most important mutual interests was our potential compatibility and our respective attitudes toward our responsibilities.

She also brought a very positive attitude and professionalism to the table, and I felt that she could be fulfilled in the position, all critical attributes.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Don't cross the street without looking. Don't go to bed without brushing your teeth. Don't talk back. Don't get in trouble. And on and on.

Similarly, from an early age we are told by our parents, "Don't worry, honey. Everything will be all right." Or "Let me kiss it and make it well." From infancy up, we're inundated with platitudes that may provide short-term diversion but don't work in the long run.

Monday, September 2, 2013

Many years ago, a management consultant named Ivy Lee was called in by Charles Schwab, chairman of Bethlehem Steel Company, to give him advice on how to better manage his time. After observing Schwab for several hours, Lee gave this advice: “Every evening write down the six most important things that must get done the next day, and list them in order of importance. Don’t begin item two until item one is complete.”

Schwab asked Lee how much he wanted for this advice. Lee replied, “Use the plan for six months and send me a check for how much you think it is worth.”

Schwab realized the value of this timely advice, as well as the importance of time. How you spend your time can be as important as how you spend your money.

ST. LOUIS – As a child, Christina Stephens filled her parents' basement with Lego castles and pirate ships. When she put her Lego-building skills to work last month making a prosthetic leg out of the children's toy, she became an Internet sensation.

Stephens, 31, lost her left foot in an accident this winter and decided to combine her clinical expertise as an occupational therapist with her own experience of losing a limb to help others dealing with amputations.